Lacing-machine



H. E. E N SLIN. LACING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED MAR. l 9. l9l8.

1,329,298. Patented Jan. 27,1920.

HERBERT E. ENSLIN, G15 MALDEN,

lt'L-LSSACEIUEETTS, ASSIGNOR T UNITED SHOE MACHINERY CORPORATIGN, 0F PATERSQN, NETV JERfiEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

LACING-MAGHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Jan. 27, 1920.

Application filed March 19, 1918. Serial No. 223,456.

- To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that T, HERBERT E. ENSLIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Malden, in the county of Middlesex and State of li lassachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lacingfachines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The invention relates to upper lacing machines, and more particularly to mechanism for controlling the tension on the lacing cord during the reciprocations of the cord carrying needle. The invention is intended primarily as an improvement in the machine of Patent No. 1,030,578, June 25, 1912, al though not confined in its application to such machine.

Lacing machines of this type have heretofore been provided with a tension, device which frictionally clamps the lacing cord during each forward and return stroke of the cord carrying needle, and which releases the cord when the needle is in retracted position. During the return stroke of tie needle which-presents the cord in position during the forward stroke of the needle which passes the lacing cord through the loops held by the looper spindles, the cord will draw through the tension device while it is applying tension thereto, thereby putting an unnecessary strain on the cord, and frequently causing an objectionable kinking of the cord leadingfrom the supply to the tension device.

It is the object of the present invention to avoid the objectionable kinking of the cord above referred to, and to this end tension controlling mechanism is provided which automatically applies the tension to the cord during alternate reciprocations of the needle and relieves the tension during the intermediate reciprocations. The mechanism is so operated that the-tension will be relieved during the forward stroke of the needle which carries the locking cord through the loops held by the spindles, will be applied during the return stroke of the needle which withdraws the severed end of the cord from the loops, will remain applied during the forward stroke of the needle which carries the severed end of the cord to the stationary cord gripper, and will be relieved during the return stroke of the needle whichpresents the cord in position to be acted on by the'looper spindles. The tension will therefore be applied when the needle is carrying a free end ofcord, thus preventing the withdrawal of the cord from the needle eye by the drag on the cord supply, and will be relieved while the cord is being drawn through the tension devices by the movement of the needle and tension device or by the cord manipulating devices of the machine. I 4

The invention will be understood from an inspection of the accompanyingdrawings and the following detailed'description of the mechanism illustrated therein. 2

In the drawings, Figure 1 .is a front elevation showing so much of an upper lacing machine as is necessary to illustrate the application ofthe present, invention thereto; Fig. 2 is a side view of the tension mechanism looking toward the right in Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a detail front view of the parts shown in Fig. 2. Y

The invention is shown as embodied in a machine having the construction and mode f of operation of the machine fully shown and to beengaged by the looper spindles, and

described in the patent above referred to. This machine is provided with the looper spindles 2, the cooperating looper fingers 4, the stationary cord grippers 6 and 8, the knot tying mechanism 10, the work retainer 12, and the cord carrying needle 14: which is secured in the arm 16 of a reciprocating carrier slide 18. The mechanism for controlling the tension on the cord comprises a clamping lever. 20 pivoted on the arm 16, and arranged to frictionally engage the cord between the two guides 22 through which the cord leads from the cord supply to the eye of the needle. The lever is forced in a direction to apply tension to the cord by a spring 24, and is operated to apply and relieve the tension by a controller disk 26.

The controller disk is provided with a series of surfaces arranged to engage the upper end of the lever 20 and hold it in position to relieve the tension on'the cord, and with an alternating series of recesses arranged to register with the upper end of the lever and permit it to engage and apply tension to the cord. The tension relieving surfaces and the intermediate tension applying recesses are preferably in the form of deep and shallow depressions in the disk which are alternately engaged by the upper end of the lever, and which not only control the application of the tension to the cord but also cooperate with the lever in holding the disk in position during the reciprocation of thenecdle carrier slide. As shown, the upper end of the tension lever 20 is provided with a forwardly projecting conical end arranged to engage the shallow depressions 28 or the deep depressions 30 which are formed in alternating series in the rear face of the disk 26. The disk is provided with ratchet teeth corresponding in number to the series of depressions in its rear face. The disk is advanced a tooth space at the end of each forward stroke of the needle carrier by a spring-pressed pawl 32 pivoted in fixed position upon a guideway 3% for the carrier slide, and provided with a laterally projecting pin 36 which engages the upper edge of the guideway.

lihe machine is shown with the parts in position for the application of an upper to the loop carrying spindles. The tension lever 20 is in engagement with one of the shallow depressions 28 in the controller disk, so that the cord may draw freely through the guides 22 and under the lever during the first forward stroke of the needle which carries the cord through the loops carried by the spindles. At the end of this forward stroke the pawl 32 engages the controller disk and advances it a step, thus bringing one of the deep depressions 30 into register with the upper end of the tension lever so that the lever engages the cord applies tension thereto during the back stroke of the needle. After the needle has been partially retracted the cord which was presented to the gripper 8 during its forward stroke is severed at the gripper. The return stroke of the needle therefore withdraws the free severed end of the cord from the loops while the tension device grips the cord and prevents accidental withdrawalof the end from the needle eye. After the ends of the inserted lacing have been tied and the laced upper discharged from the machine, the needle again advances to present the end of the cord carried by the needle to the stationary grippers 6. The tension lever 20 continues to apply tension to the cord during this forward stroke of the needle and draws cord from the cord supply. At the end of the forward stroke of the needle the pawl 32 again engages the controller disk and advances it a step, bringing one of the shallow recesses 28 into register with the upper end of the tension lever, and thus operating the lever to relieve the tension. and holding the lever in this position until the end of the next forward stroke of the needle. The cord is therefore free from tension during the return stroke of the needle after the end of the cord has been seized by the gripper 6, so that the needle and tension device inay slide freely back along the cord. The cord is also free of tension during the operation of the spindles and looper fingers in forming the loops which are to be passed through the eyelet ioles of the succeeding upper. After the loops have been formed the machine stops with the loop carrying spindles in position to receive the succeeding upper. This completes the cycle of operations.

While it is preferred to employ the specific construction and arrangement of parts shown and described in embodying the invention in the machine of the patent referred to, it will be understood that this construction and arrangement is not essential, and may be varied or modified as found desirable or best suited to the construction of the machine in which it is to be embodied.

Having explained the nature and object of the invention, and specifically described one form of mechanism in which it may be embodied, what is claimed is 1. A machine for lacing shoe uppers, having, in combination, a reciprocating cord carrying needle. and mechanism for applying tension to the cord during alternate reciprocations and relieving the tension during intermediate reciprocations of the needle.

2. A machine for lacing shoe uppers, having, in combination, looper spindles. a recinrocatinc; cord carrying needle. and mechanism acting at the end of alternate forward strokes of the needle to apply tension to the cord and at the end of the intermediate forward strokes to relieve the tension.

3. A machine for lacing shoe uppers, having, in combination, looper spindles, a reciprocating cord carrving needle, a tension device moving with the, needle, and mechanism for actuating the device to appli tension to the cord during alternate reciprocations of the needle and to relieve the tension during intermediate re iprocations.

4-. A machine for lacing shoe uppers, havinsr. in combination, looper spindles, a reciprocating cord carrying needle for presenting the cord to he spindles during the return stroke of one re iprocation and for passing t e cord through the loops held by t e spindles durinq the forward stroke of the succeeding reciprocation. and mechanism for applvinp; tension to the cord at the end of said forward stroke and for relievinc the tension at the end of the succeeding forward stroke.

5. A machine for lacing shoe uppers. havin in combination. a reciprocating needle or or. tension device on the carrier, a controller on the carrier provided with alternately arranged means for actuating the tension device to apply and relieve the tension, and means for moving the controller a step during each reciprocation of the needle.

6. A machine for lacing shoe uppers, having, in combination, a reciprocating needle carrier, a tension lever on the carrier, a controller ratchet disk provided with alternating lever operating and releasing surfaces and-recesses, and a pawl arranged to engage the disk during the reciprocation of the carrier.

7 A machine for lacing shoe uppers, having, in combination, looper spindles, a reciprocating cord carrying needle for presenting the cord to the spindles and for passing it through the loops held by the spindles, and means moving with the needle for clamping the cord when the needle is carrying a ,i'ree end of cord and for releasing the cord when it is reeving through the needle eye.

8. A machine for lacing shoe uppers, having, in combination, looper spindles, a reeiprocating cord carrying needle for presenting the cord to the spindles and for passing it through the loops held by the spindles, a tension device moving with the needle, and means for applying the tension when the needle is carrying the free end of cord and for relieving it when the cord is drawing through the tension device.

HERBERT E. ENSLIN. 

